1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention pertains to the field of fiber-reinforced reaction-injection-moldings. More particularly, the subject invention pertains to reactive systems useful in preparing rigid, fiber-reinforced polyurethane-polyisocyanurate parts especially adapted to the transportation and other industries. Such fiber-reinforced reaction-injection-molded systems and the resulting parts are known as structural-RIM or SRIM.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reaction-injection-molding (RIM) systems by now are well known to those skilled in the art. Commercial systems produce elastomeric products containing polyurethane-polyurea linkages which have many uses, for example as automobile facias. However, such systems have relatively low heat distortion temperatures and lack the flex modulus and tensile strength necessary for many applications. The chemistry of these reactive systems involves the use of a polyisocyanate "A side" (A component) and a "B side" employing a mixture of compounds containing isocyanate-reactive hydrogens. These "B side" components generally include one or more hydroxyl-functional polyether or polyester polyols and one or more sterically hindered diamines. The polyol components react with the isocyanate to form urethane linkages while the amine components react to form urea linkages. Such systems are disclosed, for example, in Weber U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,543.
The flex modulus and tensile strength of traditional RIM systems may be improved through the addition of short fiber reinforcement (RRIM). However, the addition of chopped fibers raises the viscosity of the system components as well as seriously affecting the ease of processing. Moreover, this addition of reinforcement has little effect on matrix dominated physical properties such as heat distortion temperature (HDT).
The use of woven or non-woven (random) fiber reinforcement (Structural RIM or SRIM) can provide parts with yet greater tensile strength and flex modulus. Furthermore, the physical properties may be made directional through the use of unidirectional fibers or combinations of both unidirectional and random fiber orientations. Unfortunately, the use of such reinforcement has not proven practical with traditional polyurethane-polyurea RIM systems due to the high viscosities of such systems. Finally, the low heat distortion temperature of such systems continues to present a detriment to the use of such systems. SRIM systems may be divided into cellular (blown) systems whose resin matrix has a density less then 1.0 g/cm.sup.3 and whose fiber reinforced part has a flexural modulus of less than about 500,000 psi; and high density systems which are essentially noncellular, have resin matrix densities greater than 1.0 g/cm.sup.3, and whose flexural modulus is in excess of 500,000 psi.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,331 are disclosed high density polyurethane RIM systems employing a polyisocyanate, an amine-initiated polyether polyol, and a liquid modifier having a boiling point above 150.degree. C. all in the absence of a catalyst. The liquid modifier is present in an amount of from 5 to 60 weight percent, preferably from 15 to 40 weight percent of the overall system components. Systems which contain less than about 5 weight percent of modifier are said to produce unacceptable products, subject to swelling, cracking, and distortion. No mention is made of the viscosity of such systems or their suitability as SRIM systems.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,002, some of the defficiencies of the '331 patent are overcome through the use of a polyisocyanate and a propylene carbonate adduct of a tertiary amine. The products of these systems are polyisocyanurate polymers which are suitable for use in SRIM systems. However, the alkylene carbonate tertiary amine adduct must be aged for considerable length of time, for example 500 hours, in order for its catalytic activity to stabilize somewhat. As the catalytic activity continues to change with time, such systems are not storage stable.
It would be desirable to formulate an SRIM system capable of providing a storage stable, high heat distortion system yet having a low viscosity suitable for both low density (microcellular) and high density (non-cellular) applications without the use of large amounts of liquid modifiers.